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  • 24/05/2025
Transcript
00:00We are experiencing several firsts today.
00:03First Irish honorees and first non-British band to be honoured.
00:13When we gathered in Larry Mullen's kitchen in 1976,
00:18this was unimaginable.
00:21We never thought that the band could be this old.
00:24We had the most basic of talents,
00:30but we believed that songs could take us anywhere
00:33because we had already been so many places.
00:36We just had to tell our story.
00:39So this baby band began inarticulately to do that,
00:43with many failures.
00:44But gradually, Edge, Bono, Larry and I
00:48found a way to work together.
00:50And it is this loyalty, respect and willingness
00:53to serve each other that has brought us here today.
00:56But really, tonight is about my brothers-in-arms.
01:04Or, depending on the decade, brothers in frocks.
01:09Bono, Edge, Adam, thank you for sharing this journey
01:13and letting me be in my band for the last 50 years.
01:21Who's counting?
01:23Who's counting?
01:24Who's counting?
01:33Yes, it's been a long and winding road for us,
01:38full of love, loss, and the occasional lemon.
01:44Bands are complicated.
01:46Getting four people into a room to agree on anything is difficult,
01:50never mind trying to write songs.
01:53However, we can always agree on a great tune.
01:56And finally, to all the drummers
01:59who've never been recognised or credited
02:02for their contribution to the song,
02:05this one is for you.
02:07Sláinte.
02:07Awards, we have a few.
02:21But then again, Ivor Novello's too few to mention.
02:27We did what we had to do
02:30and saw it through without exemption.
02:34We planned each charted course,
02:38each careful step along the byway.
02:43But more, much more than this,
02:47we did it my way.
02:53Yes, there were times
02:57I'm sure you knew
03:00When Bono bit off
03:03More than we could chew
03:05When Adam thought
03:08That it was him
03:10And Larry Mullen
03:12Would not give in
03:15But the records show
03:18Through all the blows
03:22We did it my way
03:36I'd like to remind the room
03:38that The Edge was the first one
03:39to break up the band.
03:43We've all had a go since.
03:45But in 1982, age 21
03:50That man there decided
03:52That he'd had enough of the music business
03:55With its inflamed egos
03:57And pumped up personalities
03:59I asked him
04:03Would he make an exception for me?
04:05I used to introduce this next song
04:09By explaining
04:10It wasn't a rebel song
04:11It was
04:13Because
04:17Believing in the possibilities of peace
04:22Was then and is now
04:23A rebellious act
04:25And some would say
04:27A ridiculous one
04:28To believe peace was attainable
04:30Between your country and ours
04:33Between our country and itself
04:36Was a ridiculous idea
04:38Because
04:39Peace
04:40Creates possibilities
04:42In the most intractable situations
04:45And Lord knows
04:47There's a few of them out there right now
04:51Hamas
04:53Release the hostages
04:55Stop the war
04:56Israel
04:58Be released from Benjamin Netanyahu
05:01And the far right fundamentalists
05:05That twist your sacred texts
05:07All of you
05:10Protect our aid workers
05:12They are the best of us
05:14Thank you
05:18God
05:20You must be so tired of us
05:23Children of Abraham
05:24In the rubble
05:26Of our certainties
05:27Children
05:30In the rubble
05:31Of our revenge
05:32God forgive us
05:33I'm going to sing this now
05:35If I can find a microphone
05:38We're all the best of us
05:41Thank you
05:42Thank you
05:43Thanks
05:44To be the best of us
05:44We will
05:45Do you
05:46Do you

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